Abstract

Browse – the new “buzzword” within zoological communities. Browse can include shrubs, trees, woody vines and stems, including various plant parts like berries and flowers. Browse is used for nutrient supplementation, behavioral enrichment and for some animal species it is life. Browse can also mean death to animals if a wrong plant or part is fed. With all of these parameters – good and bad – browse nutritive and management information has been collected on browse species known to “nurture” and “protect” animal collections. Browse databases have been compiled within zoological institutions throughout the United States, Europe, and countries worldwide. Information entered into a database usually centers around a “specific” country or region. Since plants grow better in some climates than others, it is difficult to use database information universally. Formats that would allow global application in browse utilization are critical.

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